Ah so many reviews…now how may of them are actually about the story and how many of you just want to have a go at Rose…oh well, I'm in too good a mood to care r/r,

Darth – hey didn't you already say that oh well thanks! x

Rose - …it's like your speaking another language…I think you're trying to say something but you're not making sense, it wasn't me who blocked you and I'm not hiding behind the reviewers just because I'm not reviewing just to have a go at you…just because I'm a sad individual doesn't mean I'm going to review my own story, I'll just write it instead.

Shadow Hawk – you put a lot of thought into that didn't you…answer neither swordsman. It's going to be demons vs vampires, Nobunaga vs Kain round 1 begin! x

Captain Kain – Enough already! x

Cordy – Thank you my beloved Cordy! Lol, you put me in such a good mood for the rest of the day! x

Marshmallow – Yes they broke up but with reason…well only coz I needed them to x

Chapter 4

Kain almost flung the door off it's hinges when he heard Raziel's footsteps coming up the corridor, he had passed all thoughts of mild concern and was now bordering on near panic and although he would not let any other vampire in Nosgoth see him like this, Raziel knew how frantic the master could get when Meg was involved.

"Well?" Kain snapped, as soon as Raziel had stepped over the threshold. Raziel hesitated but spoke nonetheless,

"She arrived at the northern bastion and left her horse there to continue on foot. Maret had orders to alert us if she had not reported anything by nightfall."

"And?" Kain snapped again, getting impatient, but from the look on his firstborn's son he knew it wasn't going to be good news.

"And…she didn't report in and she's not answering the whisper."

Kain inhaled deeply and went to the window, contemplating the next move. "Raziel," he muttered, softly, "Recognisance."

Raziel could not have been more surprised by his master's decision, "But my lord," he said immediately when he realised what actions his master had in mind. But Kain held his hand up, not interested in his son's counsel.

"I want scouts to scour the area; don't feel the need to be discreet. When they report back, I will personally lead an army to find out who dares to dispute my claim to this land."

Raziel nodded reluctantly and swept from the room, Azrael was waiting outside the chamber and found he had to jog to keep up with his sires quickened pace.

"We are to send recognisance," Raziel informed him. Azrael nodded and to Raziel's surprise he volunteered to lead the group who would go to Durnacht. To Azrael's surprise Raziel declined, "No," he said, almost apologetically, "If we are to ride with Kain to a war then I need you by my side." Raziel continued towards his chamber but Azrael had stopped,

"Raziel please!" he called. Raziel froze at the mention of his name, Azrael rarely called him that, it was usually 'my lord' or 'sire' even sometimes 'my friend' but never 'Raziel'. "Let me lead the recognisance, I beg you."

Raziel turned to face his firstborn, "And why is it that you want to do this so badly?" he asked, curiously, but when Azrael turned a distinct shade of red, the answer was apparent, "Oh for the love of…you know you're probably the last person she wants to see right now," Azrael looked back up at his sire but was mildly surprised to see a smile on Raziel's face, "You may go…but I want you back for Kain's march, you are my firstborn after all."

Azrael looked as though he could have hugged his sire, but for obvious reasons declined, instead he made his way, hastily toward the stables. Raziel watched his friend go before retiring to his own chamber to make his own arrangements.

"…My lady?" the voice sounded distant and surreal, as though it was from another place. Meg was vaguely aware of being carried, but even that notion was faint. Everything was clouded and blurred, as though she were floating through colours. Oranges and reds flickered before her though she couldn't distinguish between the two; they merged as one and then parted only to merge again. "My lady?" the voice spoke again, but she couldn't find her voice to reply, in fact it felt as though she didn't have one. "If you can hear me, my lady, I'm going to realign your neck."

There was a loud snap, and Meg knew that the sound was made by her own bones, but she couldn't feel the pain that was no doubt shooting through her body, she was still floating.

After the snap, she felt her head begin to clear and her sight was improving. The oranges and reds that had previously merged together became sharper and she could see it was a fire. She was in a cave, though she knew not where. Although she could see where she was she could barely feel it and her body didn't feel as though it was really anywhere.

"And now I'm going to pop your arm and your leg back into place," another two snaps and she could feel her body again, resting as it was on the cold floor of the cave, though the heat of the fire kept the rest of her comfortably warm.

She blinked a couple of times, trying to regain control of her senses. Her head was spinning and her body was aching, especially around the right shoulder, her left leg was in agony though she knew that with blood her injuries would heal.

"Are you alright, my lady?" the voice asked and she could tell it belonged to a man, though she didn't recognise it. Meg tried to move, to sit up if she could, but she could barely move. The man to whom the voice belonged moved forward, seeing her dilemma and raised her into a sitting position, resting her against the wall of the cave.

She could now see the man who had rescued her and as soon as she realised what he was she tried to reach for her sword, a gesture which he found confusing.

"My lady?" he asked, curiously. She edged away from him; he was sitting opposite her, but quite close considering he had just raised her to the wall. He was not a vampire, he looked almost human but his skin was varying tones of red and silver. Up to his jaw his face was silver with two golden yellow markings above his eyes, though from the jaw down his flesh was a deep red colour. He was dressed in armour and his own sword, glowing near the embers of the fire, no human would dress like he and certainly wouldn't look like him.

"Who are you?" she asked, realising that she couldn't reach her sword. There was also the fact hat he had brought her here, away from those…things that had attacked her and helped her further by doing what he can for her injuries, there was a chance he had no intention of hurting her. She was slightly disconcerted when she noticed a distinct smirk cross the man's face when she asked his identity,

"My name is," he said, grandly, pausing for effect, "Gogandantess, the greatest swordsman of all demons."

He looked back at her, still smiling, though he looked slightly crestfallen when she looked unimpressed. She nodded slowly, acknowledging who he was, "A demon? Are they the ones who attacked me?"

The swordsman rolled his eyes and reluctantly replied, "Yes," he sighed heavily, "Much lower class, demons, I assure you. They haven't got an ounce of intelligence between them and there are millions of them." Meg couldn't help but laugh, interrupting the demon who raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"A fine way to speak of your kind," she chuckled.

"Oh they may be demons, but I refuse to acknowledge those mangy, slobbering things that'd kill anything that moves as my peers. I am a high class demon, not one of them."

"So," Meg challenged, "If you are a demon, why did you save me from the other demons?"

Gogandantess shifted back, to give her some space. He picked up his sword and wiped it down, polishing it with his gloved hands. "Because you were unarmed, you are a woman and they were going to kill you, tear you apart and probably eat you there and then, fighting over the scraps of your body."

Meg flinched, "Eat me?" she asked, curiously. Dantess nodded,

"The lower class demons don't care for what they eat," he told her, "They eat anything." Meg was only vaguely aware of what he had said, the lack of blood was getting to her and she was becoming light-headed.

"I have to get back," she said, quietly, "Thank you for your help, but I must return. They'll be wondering where I am and if I don't feed soon…" she broke off, not feeling the need to explain. Using the wall for support she tried to push herself to her feet, only to fall forward to be caught by the demon.

"I'll take you," he told her. She looked up at him, surprised, "you won't make it back on your own, besides the demons have already set up camp in the town they destroyed. You won't make it past them." She would normally have rejected his help, she resented the comment he had made that he had helped her because she was a woman. Nevertheless, he was right and so with a brief nod, she shifted her weight and allowed him to half carry her back to the fire.

"Your name?" he asked, so suddenly that it took her by surprise, "What's your name?" he repeated.

She smiled, "Megara…but everyone calls me Meg."

"Megara," he repeated, "pretty name." He laughed when she blushed at his compliment and he helped her back to the fire.

Azrael's sword made another clean cut and the demon aggressor fell dead at his feet. "What in hell are they?" Maret gasped, examining the dead. It was a creature like none they had ever seen before. They looked almost reptilian but with arms, legs and weapons, they were versed in swordplay, if not very badly and then to add insult to injury, they wore hats, flat straw hats upon their heads.

"I have no idea," Azrael muttered, poking the dead with his sword.

"My lord!" a young vampire came running through the streets, "All scouts report in…we have to leave…now," he panted. Azrael frowned,

"Leave?" he asked, "We will not leave, we came here to find Meg…"

There was a roar that they recognised as the shout from the creatures, looking back up the street that the vampire had just ran through the creatures were swarming towards them by the hundreds, "Ok, maybe we should leave," Azrael said, sheathing his sword and setting off with the rest of the unit.

TBC